Cleaning unit and stand

ABSTRACT

THE PRESENT INVENTION RELATES TO A CLEANING UNIT AND STAND ADAPTED FOR MAINTAINING A SOLDERING IRON IN CLEAN CONDITION AND COMPRISES AN INTEGRAL MEMBER FORMED WITH A BASE HAVING THEREON A CUP AND A BRUSH MOUNT. THE CUP RETAINS A SPONGE THEREIN AND HAS A LIQUID WELL BENEATH THE SPONGE. THE BRUSH MOUNT IS FORMED WITH A REAR WALL AND SIDE WALLS UPSTANDING ABOVE THE NORMAL LEVEL OF A WIRE   BRUSH RETAINED IN THE MOUNT. WIPING A SOLDERING IRON FORWARD AGAINST THE BRUSH BRISTLES CAUSES ANY SOLDER SPATTER TO BE REARWARD AGAINST THE REAR AND SIDE WALLS.

Oct. 5, 1971 w J. SIEGEL EIAL 3,609,791

CLEANING UNIT AND STAND Filed June 2, 1969 United Smtes Offioe 3,609,791 Patented Oct. 5, 1971 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a cleaning unit and stand adapted for maintaining a soldering iron in clean condition and comprises an integral member formed with a base having thereon a cup and a brush mount. The cup retains a sponge therein and has a liquid well beneath' the sponge. The brush mount is formed with a rear wall and side walls upstanding above the normal level of a wire brush retained in the mount. Wiping a soldering iron forward against the brush bristles causes any solder spatter to be rearward against the rear and side walls.

The present invention relates to the care and maintenance of soldering irons, particularly the miniature soldering irons commonly employed by repair technicians on electronic equipment. More specifically, the present invention relates to a cleaning unit and stand wherein is provided an integral mount for a brush, normally a non-solderablewire brush, and for a wet sponge. The sponge and brush togetherare convenient for cleaning the working tip of a soldering iron.

Referring HOW to the drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the cleaning unit and stand;

FIG. 2 is a front section taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side section taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a plan section taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

As may be seen in FIG. 1 of the drawing the cleaning unit and stand has an integral cast or molded piece 9 which has thereon a generally rectangular fiat base 12, corner legs 13 and a skirt 14 depending from the edges of base 12. A cup 16 rises from base 12 at one side of stand 10. At the bottom of cup 16 is a water well 18 formed either by upstanding ridges 20 or other suitable projections. Normally a sponge 50 seats inside cup 16 resting on ridges 20, leaving well 18 just beneath the sponge 50. The water in well 18"" serves to maintain sponge 50 well moistened. A removable cap 60 is provided as a vapor barrier to seal cup 16 and prevent the sponge 50 normally contained therein from drying out.

Also upstanding from base 12 is a brush mount structure 22. The cup 16 and the brush mount 22 stand side by side one at each end of base 12. The brush mount 22 comprises a pair of end or side walls 24, 26 and a back wall 28 all upstanding from base 12. A lip 32 forming part of each wall 24 and 26 and a fiat spring 30' disposed in base 12 constitute the retaining members for holding non-solderable wire bristle brush 17 inside brush mount 22. A pair of spring grips 34 integrally formed in base 12 retain flat spring 30 in position. A stainless steel wire brush is a suitable non-solderable brush.

Between brush mount 22 and cup 16 may be provided one or more mounting holes 36 for locking the stand 10 to a supporting surface, e.g. a work table. Since a preferred embodiment stand 10 is only about 3.5 long, proportioned as shown in the drawing and weighs but a few ounces securing the cleaning unit and stand 10 to a work table is usually advisable.

As a further aid to the repair mechanic or technician a set of guide fingers 38 shown as upstanding cylindrical projections (but which could as well be ridges) on base 12 between the cup 16 and brush mount 22 are present. Guide fingers 38 are adapted to fit a miniature soldering iron holder 70 therebetween, holder 70 being fastened to stand 10 by way of mounting holes 36, fasteners 74 and leaf spring 72. If stand 10 is permanently secured to a work table, the mechanic can place the soldering iron in holder 70 as a convenient depository therefor.

In order to better illustrate the structure of the present cleaning unit and stand 10 FIG. 1 omits the brush 17 and cap 60 associated therewith. These are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Conveniently the integral cast or molded piece 9 is formed from a non-melting thermoset resin, eg from u ea-formaldehyde resins such as Bakelite.

Typically, a soldering iron becomes fouled with a surface film of oxides and sometimes flux. In addition particles of solder and flux adhere to the tip. Such fouling of the soldering iron hinders subsequent formation of proper solder connections. The tip should be cleaned periodical- 1y, during the course of forming numerous of solder connections. Cleaning unit and stand 10 is intended for solder iron cleaning usage. The soldering tip may be cleared of adhering particles by wiping the tip forward against the bristles of wire brush 17. Particles so removed tend to spatter rearwardly against back wall 28 and end walls 24 and 26. Those portions of walls 24, 26 and 28 upstanding above brush 17 have been provided to serve as spatter plates.

Although wire brushing in this fashion removes discrete particles because they can be brushed otf, brushing usually fails to remove the film of oxide from the working tip. The sponge 50 is used to remove this film. Subsequent to wire brushing, the soldering iron is heated, if not already hot, then the tip is wiped gently across the top of sponge 50. Contact between the hot soldering iron tip and the wet sponge 50 shock cools the surface of the tip cracking away therefrom any film of oxide present thereon. A thoroughly clean soldering iron is now available for use.

Normally the wet sponge 50 extends just above the top edge of cup 16, so that the solder iron tip does not scrape the rim of cup 16 when it is wiped across the top of sponge 50. Water from sponge well 18 is drawn up into sponge 50 to maintain enough moisture at the upper surface of sponge 50 for the desired shock cooling of the soldering iron tip without damage to the sponge material. Since well 18 is quite shallow the water therein should however be replenished as necessary. Cap 60 keeps the moisture in by serving as a moisture barrier when the cleaning unit is not in use.

What is claimed is:

1. A cleaning unit and stand for cleaning the working tip of a soldering iron which comprises a stand member adapted to be secured to a support therefor, said stand having integral therewith a cup adapted to contain a sponge therein, said stand further having integral therewith a brush mount thereon, and a brush in said brush mount, said brush mount including upstanding end walls and an upstanding back wall whereby brushing a soldering iron tip forward against the bristles of a brush fixedly mounted in said brush mount will spatter any solder particles against the rear and end walls.

2. The cleaning unit and stand of claim 1 including a sponge removably disposed in said cup and a cap normally sealing said sponge inside said cup.

3. The cleaning unit and stand of claim 1 including a wire brush removably secured in said brush mount, said brush extending to a level part way up the rear and end Walls.

4. The cleaning unit and stand of claim 3 wherein said brush is retained between a pair of lips integrally with said side walls and a spring disposed beneath the brush and secured to said stand.

{ 5. The cleaning unit and stand of claim 1 wherein said stand is formed with a base integral therewith and the cup and brush mount are upstanding from said base side by side with means for retaining a soldering iron on said base above said cup and brush mount.

6. The cleaning unit and stand of claim 1 wherein the base of said cup is provided with upstanding support 4 means elements on which the sponge may seat leaving thereby a shallow water well underlying the sponge.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,838,958 12/1931 Page 15-200 2,281,162 4/1942 Kuehl 15-236 A FOREIGN PATENTS 353,140 5/1961 Switzerland 15-114 EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner U.S. c1. X.R. 

